The Pentax KM is a 35mm SLR camera with manual focus and built-in light meter, produced by the Japanese manufacturer Asahi Pentax. It is aimed at photographers looking for a robust and reliable camera with manual control.
The KM was introduced in the mid-1970s and offers a solid basis for getting started in SLR photography. It is based on the Pentax Spotmatic F in terms of functionality and design and was positioned as an alternative to the more expensive Pentax KX.
Lens
The Pentax KM is equipped with the Pentax K bayonet, which supports a wide range of SMC Pentax lenses. As standard, it was often delivered with an SMC Pentax 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.2 or 55mm f/1.8 lens.
Focusing is done manually by turning the focus ring on the lens until the image in the viewfinder appears sharp. The viewfinder offers 0.87x magnification with 50mm lenses and 1.0x magnification (life-size) with the 55mm lens. To assist with manual focusing, the viewfinder has a microprism or split-image focusing screen.
A diopter correction of -1.0 is also available. The KM also supports older screw-mount Takumar lenses with the help of an adapter (Mount Adapter K).
Exposure settings
The Pentax KM has a built-in TTL (Through-The-Lens) light meter that measures the average brightness of the focusing screen with the aperture open. The light meter is coupled with the aperture, shutter speed and film speed settings.
In the viewfinder, the correct exposure is indicated by a needle in the center. The film speed can be set from ISO 20 to 3200.
The exposure meter covers an exposure range of EV 3 to 18 (at ISO 100 and 50mm lens). The exposure meter is powered by a 1.5V silver oxide battery 15vsilberoxyd.
An additional CdS sensor in the camera body controls the switching of the exposure meter on and off.
The shutter speeds range from 1/1000 second to 1 second and long exposure (B). The shutter is a horizontally running cloth focal plane shutter.
Flash system
The Pentax KM has a hot shoe (X-contact) for the use of system flash units without cables as well as FP and X-sync sockets for conventional flash cables. The X-synchronization is set to 1/60 second.
For the use of flash bulbs, various combinations of flash connection and shutter speed are available to ensure optimal light output.
Additional features
The Pentax KM offers a built-in self-timer with a delay time of 5 to 13 seconds, depending on the position of the self-timer lever. The self-timer has an interrupt function.
A tripod thread is provided for attaching the camera to a tripod. A film counter and film type reminder wheel help the photographer keep track of the images taken and the type of film used. A quick rewind crank allows the film to be rewound quickly.
Dimensions and weight
With a 50mm f/1.4 lens, the Pentax KM measures 143mm in width, 91.4mm in height and 94mm in depth. The weight is 887g with the 50mm f/1.4 lens and 622g without the lens.
Film recommendations
The Pentax KM can be used with all common 35mm films. The choice of film depends on the lighting conditions and the desired result.
For daylight shots, films with ISO values of 100 to 400 are suitable. In low light conditions or for fast movements, films with higher ISO values, such as 800 or 1600, are recommended.
With the Kodak Portra 400*, beautiful color images can be taken with this camera. However, for black and white images, the Ilford Delta 400* is the preferred choice.
Quick guide to operation
Inserting the battery: Open the battery compartment and insert a 1.5V silver oxide battery with the plus side facing up.
Loading film: Open the back cover, insert the film cassette and thread the film. Close the back cover and advance the film until the film counter is at "1".
Setting the film speed: Lift the outer ring of the shutter speed dial and turn it until the ISO value of the film matches the orange mark.
Setting the shutter speed: Turn the shutter speed dial to the desired shutter speed.
Composing and focusing the subject: Look through the viewfinder and turn the focus ring on the lens until the subject is
